One of the unexpected ways that movie fans benefit from the Sony email hack is that even offhanded comments about non-Sony projects can become news. For instance, the emails between Columbia Pictures President of Production Michael De Luca and Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal, in which the two chat briefly about some of the new Star Wars films.
While the emails don’t divulge as much information as the alleged spoiler leak on 4chan a few weeks ago, they still hint at what to expect from Rian Johnson’s follow-ups to J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens, plus some insight into the standalone films.
To that end, this post contains possible spoilers, so proceed with caution.
De Luca casually referred to Episodes VIII and IX as “Luke and Leia storylines,” without saying anything further about the plot. Could that mean that The Force Awakens will be primarily about the new generation, with their rumored parents/uncles/mentor figures/objects of their obsession showing up only at the end of Episode VII?
De Luca’s comments were part of a larger email in which he discusses the rumored Boba Fett standalone movie, though it’s unclear if that project belongs to Gareth Edwards or Josh Trank (currently rebooting The Fantastic Four):
Star Wars: Any studio would have lost josh trank and rian Johnson to this, it’s freaking Star Wars. Your After Earth writer Gary Whitta is writing Gareth Edwards stand alone Star Wars film. Simon Kinberg is writing Josh Tranks. No one knows what they’re about but Boba Fett is rumored to be the subject of one. Rian Johnson as you know is doing the main ones, episodes 8 and 9 of the Luke and Leia story lines, after JJ. Not sure anything is gained by looking at what Lucasfilm is doing except we are stalking all these people too, except Whitta whom I think blows.
If this Luke/Leia stuff is true, Rian Johnson will have his work cut out for him, and even more opportunity to save Star Wars.